Joseph J. "Joe" Leblang

Joseph J. Leblang age 93 formerly of Murrysville passed away January 28, 2021 in Florida. After being born in New York City in 1927 and at a young age losing his father, Joe and his brother Al spent school age years away from their mother and sister Harriet, living at the Masonic Home in Utica, NY. He then went on to graduate from the Merchant Marine Academy. He briefly spent time serving on Commercial ships before entering the Navy as an officer during the Korean War. Joe spent most of his professional career rising through the ranks of Westinghouse’s Nuclear Division. He began his testing systems in the Idaho desert for nuclear war ships, rose to the level of Regional Director, earning the prestigious Westinghouse Order of Merit for creating the Site Service Manager Program which helped ensure the safe operation of Westinghouse designed and manufactured commercial nuclear power plants all over the world. Joe loved his job and continued to work as a consultant into his late seventies. While known to be a boisterous and demanding boss, he had a knack for making everyone he met feel special and important to him. He spent his early retirement years wintering in Florida and enjoying his family and summers in the “Big House” at Hidden Valley. After his wife Shirley passed, he spent his later years involved in multiple activities at La Posada retirement community. He loved musical performances of any kind and supported multiple community theaters, bands and orchestras as well as public television. In addition to his wife Shirley (Morrison) Leblang, he was preceded in death by a daughter Carol (Leblang) Ford; a sister, Harriet Cooper and a brother Al LeBlang. Surviving is his loving family; daughters, Debra (Jack) Pickens of Murrysville and Lisa (Norm) Gebrosky of Delmont; adored grandchildren; David (Nicole) Pickens, Samantha Pickens, Hanah (Spencer) Jones and Jacob Gebrosky, Great grandson, Jack Pickens. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. Friends and family welcome at the Wolfe-von Geis Funeral Home, Inc., 5701 Lincoln Ave., Export (724) 327-1400 on Friday, February 5, 2021 from 4-6 p.m. with a memorial service starting at 6 p.m. CDC recommendations must be adhered to. Interment will be announced at a later date. The family would like thank Felicia Brown and more recently Swayze Mulligan for their loving and dedicated care. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be mad in Joe’s name to a local public television station. For directions to offer online condolences please visit www.wolfe-vongeis.com

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